Improvement in grain-binders



3 Sheets--Sheet 2r S. D. LOCKE.

A Grain-Binders.

NO HLQZS v Patented March 3i, 1874.

3Sheets--Sheet3- S. D. LGKE. Grain-Binders.

Patpnted March 31, 1874.

`UNITrm STATES PATENT Origin.

sYLvANUs D. Locke, or Hoosick FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN (EIFLAIN-BINDERS Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 149,233, dated March 3l, 1874; application tiled september 4,1873.

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLvANUs D. LocKE, of Hoosick Falls, in the countyof Rensselear and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Binders; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghadl to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspectiveview of a harvesting-machine with my attachment.I Fig. 2 is an endelevation of my invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 4,5, 6, 7, S, 9, 10, 11 represent parts assembled and detached of mybinding-head. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional elevation of my invent-ion.Fig. 13 is a perspective view of my binding-head. Figs. 14,15, 16represent my take-up spool. Fig. 17 is a plan of the rack-box.

This invention relates tol improvements in automatic binding-machines,and particularly on that class of binders to which belong improvementsheretofore patented to me 30th August, 1870, and particular reference ishereby made to said patent for a description of the general method ofoperation of my said invention, which consists, first, in mechanism toadvance the compressing-arm faster than the binding-arm during a certainpart of its revolution 5 second, in devices to limit the movement of thevibrating arm third, in the method of constructing the binding-head;fourth, in stops to prevent the backward movement of the binding'mechanism after the same has been thrown out of gear; fifth, in apermanent ledge to assist the binding-head to penetrate and separate thegavel; sixth, in the tensionspring upon the vibrating' arm, seventh, inthe retaining-springs, to complete the separation of the bound from theunbound gavel prior to the discharge of the former; eighth, in astationary fender-rod to prevent the gra-in from becoming entangled withthe revolving meehanism of the binder.

That others may fully understand my improvement, I will particularlydescribe it.

On Sheet 1 is represented in perspective the full machine, consisting ofthe reapingmachine with cutters, reel, and carrying and elevatingaprons, and attached thereto the binding apparatus, which forms thesubject of this patent. A

The cradle or receptacle A, into which the eut grain is delivered fromthe elevating-apron, is composed of a suitable frame-work, covered withsheet metal or other suitable material. At one side there is firmlybolted to said frame a pillar or standard, B, with an arm, I),projecting from the top thereof, and extending over said cradle to itscenter. The pillar B and its arm b support the operative mechanism ofthe binder, which is driven through the medium of the shafts Gand D andtheir pinions, actuated by and connected with the main driving-wheel E.At the outer end of shaft C is mounted a binding-arm, F, which carriesat its outer end the binding-head G and a compressing-a 1m, H. There isalso pivoted to the end ofthe arm b, and operating in connection withthe binding and compressing arm H F, a vibrating arm, I.

he above-named parts and their general mode of operation are describedin my former patent referred to, and are herein set forth merely as thefoundation of my present im.

provement, now to be particularly described.

The arm F has upon its hub a segmentgear, J, which meshes with lacorresponding segment, K, upon the hub of the arm I, whereby said arm' Iis actuated in one direction as the arm F rotates, and is moved in theopposite direction by means ofthe pin L and cam M, as described in myprior patent, above referred to. But I desire to impart to thecompressor H a more rapid advance during that portion of its revolutionwhich is at the apex of its circuit, and I therefore attach tothe hub ofsaid compressor H two teeth or eogs, N, and to the segment K I attachtwo corresponding teeth, O, projecting beyond the teeth of said segment,which are adjusted to mesh with each other at the proper moment, andimpart to the compressor a more rapid advance, as stated. When saidgears N O go out of mesh, the arm H recovers its position by the actionof the spring P. The momentum of the moving parts is considerable, andas the arm. I is for a moment during each revolution twice out 'of gearwith those parts which actuate it, its momentuml may sometimes be sogreat as to carry it too far for proper engagementv again, unlessprovision is made to limit its movement at each extremity; and I have,therefore, placed upon the arm I a stop, Q, which, coming in contactwith the hub of arm F, prevents further movelment of arm I in thatdirection; and to limit `inclosng-shell g, and the other the base-blockand shield h, which is located partially within said shell, and securedthere by screws. The form of the part a is shown in Fig. S On the innerside ofthe base h there is a stud, z', upon which the twisting-pinion Sis mounted, as secured by a screw, and 011 the outer surface, oppositesaid twisting-pinion, the clamping nipper-plate T is mounted. At co andd the base-plate It is cut away or notched, so as to permit thebinding-wire to approach and enter between the teeth of the twister,which consists of a single pinion, S, projecting from said head at oneside thereof, far enough to engage with the rack U, to receive therefromits rotary motion. The clamping-nipper T is pivoted to the outer side ofthe base-plate h, and is actuated by the contact of one or the other ofstuds e f with properly-disposed camsurfaces u t, located in therack-box U. The front edge of said nipper is provided with a notch, h,and it works under stationary plate V, clamping the end of the band-wirethereunder, while it, by the same movement, cuts the wire free from theshcaf by means of said notch k acting against a stationary cuttingedge`formed by a steel plate, on, inserted in the base-plate 7L. Thethickness of the nipperplate is not quite equal to the thickness ofthespace within which it moves beneath the plate V, so that thebinding-wire may be drawn under said plate by the notch k, and clampedthere, while the head Gr is being carried around the gaveh During thismovement around the gavel the binding-wire becomes bent backward overthe hooking end a of the plate V, and downward through the space ornotch d, where it enters between two of the leaves ofthe twister, and atthis moment the compressor H advances, as heretofore described, andpushes the binding-wire in front of the ledge p, whereby it is preventedfrom escaping from its position in the twister. rIhe further movement ofthe binding-head G carries itentirely around the gavel, and, as itenters the rack-box U, the spool end ofthe binding-wire enters the spaceor notch a, and between the leaves of the pinion S on the side oppositethe clamped end of the wire. rIhe pinion S then engages with the rack inrackbox U, and begins to twist the wires together, and, at or about thesame instant, the nipper is opened by contact of stud f with a cam4properly located in box U, so as to release the clamped end of the wire,and immediately closed again by contact of stud e with another cam iusaid rack-box, thus severing the wire and clamping it again for the nextsheaf. That portion of the nipper-plate T which is along the edge at qis in thickness equal to 1 the space below the plate V, so that theclamped end of the wire is pushed out from under said plate, andtherefore enabled to becomejammed thereunder, or prevent the freeworking of the parts. rlhe part Z is made detachable, so as to permitthe removal of the twister S from its stud. The roller j traverses theinner surface of the rack-box to prevent friction of the head G thereon.

From vyear to year, or from one field to another, grain will stand atdifferent heights, so that it is necessary either to move the gavellengthwise in the binder or to adjust the bindin mechanism on the mainframe, so that the band will be placed around the middle of the sheaf.

' I have constructed my binding-machine so that it can readily be movedsidewise to adjust the binding mechanism according to the length ofthestraw ofthe grain which is to be bound, and I also arrange theconnections so that the entire binding apparatus may be readily detachedand removed from the frame of the reaper when, for any reason, suchremoval is desirable.

To this end I attach the upper edge of frame A to the upper bar s of theelevator-frame by means of hooks t, which a-re permanently secured tosaid frame A, and engage with Hangeplates or ledges u, attached to saidbar s. The lower end of the frame A is supported upon feet WV, which aresecured to said frame and rest against the end bar e of thereaper-frame. Bolts w, passing downward through the feet XV and the beamt, secure the binding apparatus firmly in place; and by elongating thebolt-holes in the beam e, or by aseries of such holes, any requiredlateral adjustment of said binding apparatus may be secured; or, byremoving said bolts, the entire binding apparatus 1n ay be removed fromthe main frame.

In the machine represented on Sheet l, a shaft, A', is laid across thereaper-framefu, to transmit motion from the main wheel E to the cuttersand traveling belts, and upon said shaft I place a bevel-pinion, a', tomesh with and drive the bevel-wheel b, fastened to the lower end of theshaft D, and motion is thereby transmitted from the driving-wheel to thebinding mechanism. I arrange said pinion a! to slide upon said shaftupon a spline or feather, and to keep it always in mesh with the wheelb', a toe, c', is placed upon the foot W, so as to prevent the saidpinion from backing off. A large or stationary apron,` B', is secured tothe bar s, to project over and cover the joint or seam between thebinding-machine and said bar s, and to prevent the lodgment of graintherein. If the grain stands thin upon the ground, it

may happen that during the time of one revolution of the binding-arm aninsufficient quantity of grain will have been cut for a propersizedsheaf, and itis, therefore, required that the attendant may stop orstart the binding mechanism at will. I therefore arrange aratchetclutch, C', upon the shaft I), whereby, with the treadle d', thebinding mechanism may be thrown out of gear at any moment; but when sostopped the weight of the revolving arms might cause them to moveforward or backward into inconvenient positions unless restrained. Itherefore place uponthe shaft l) a ratchet, g', with which aspring-pawl, e', engages. The clutch 1s made with double faces,

as shown, so that the arm cannot revolve any faster than its driving-shaft during those portions of its revolution when the weight of thesaid arm tends to accelerate its movement.

Small ledges D' are placed on the surface of the grain-receptacle justopposite the orifice through which the binding-head G enters-the mass ofcut grain toseparate .it into gavels. These ledges turn outwardly fromsaid surface in a direction nearly horizontal, and their effect is tocause the mass or sheet of descending grain to assume a horizontaldirection at that point, so that the head Gr will penetrate and the armI. This latter spring may be made of any suitable elastic material. Itaids more particularly in gathering the bundle prior to its fullcompression between the yielding arm H and rigid arm I, and th erebyprevents the drawing out of an unnecessary length of bindingwire.

I attach to the cradle two light, fiat springs, I1" F', which preventthesheaf from swinging out of position just prior to the moment ofdischarge, when it has been liberated from the arm I, and by theirrecoil, when vthe sheaf has passed over them, they effect a completeseparation of the unbound grain from that which has beeny bound.

It sometimes happens that the grain lies upon the cradle in a thick,loose mass. rlhis may be in consequence of its being somewhat tangled,and in this condition it sometimes becomes entangled with thesegment-gears of the arms F and I; and to prevent such entanglement, Iattach to the arm b a stationary fender-rod, G'. The slack wire is takenup at each revolution by-a spring take-up spool, H', located beneath thecradle. Said spool is constructed with a grooved disk, h' mounted, upona spindle, i', which latter is firmly secured to the frame A. A coiledspring, It', having one end secured to said spool and the other end tosaid spindle, serves to actuate it, and a surrounding case or barrel,l', incloses and protects thesprin 0'. end, and provided with severalspurs, which penetrate the wood of the frame A, and keep it securely inposition. The spindle t" has ai shoulder,rwhi ch comes down upon thebottom of case I', and thereby prevents it from turning around. Thespool H' is rotated untilthe spring has sufficient tension to take upthe required slack of the bindin g-wire,which is then passed through theorifice m', and out into the' groove n'. 'NV hen the binding-head makesits circuit around the gavel, so much wire is drawn from the reel J' aswill equal the circle dcscribed by said binding-head, and this qualitityis in excess of that required to pass around the sheaf. The recoil ofthe spring 7o' rotates the spool H', and takes up the surplus. rlhe easeI' serves asa brake on the spring, or a limit to its expansion, if thebinding wire should he suddenly broken.l In such event, the spring wouldrapidly uncoil, until the pressure of the revolving spring against thecase gradually checks its motion. Otherwise, the rapid revolution of thespring and spool, and their momentum, would cause the breakage of thecenter coil, or its connection with the spindle t'.

The orifices through which the binding-wire passes may be re-enforced bybushing or` protected by friction-rollers, as at r'.

I place a removable wind-board, K', along the front edge of thebinder-cradle, to prevent disturbance of the cut grain by the wind, andsaid board is secured between the arms L', which are secured to the bars or other convement part of the reaper-frame, so that said board is notattached tothe binder; and when the latter is adjusted upon thereaper-frame, it slides under said wind-board, which, therefore, needsno adjustment.

Having described my improvement, what l claim as new is l. Incombination with the binding-arm F and vibrating compressor I, and thesegmentgears by which the latter is actuated, the compressor H and theextra gears O N, whereby said compressor H is advanced faster than thebinding-arm, substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the binding-arm F and the vibrating compressor I,the stops Q It, to limit the vibrations of said compressor, as setforth. e

`3. The pointed hollow shell g,'formed to receive the base-plate-of theshield IL, which supports the twisting and cutting devices, andpartially incloses said twisting and cutting devices, as set forth. i

4. In combination with the main shaft l), for giving motion to theoperative mechanism of an automatic binder, the ratchetand pawl g' c',to hold said binding mechanism from retrograde motion when the same maybe uneoupled from the driving-mechanism.

5. In combination with the gathering-arm F, the ledge D upon the cradleA, to hold the grain in position While said arm passes through andseparates the gavel. 6. In combination With the vibrating,` compressorI, the tension spring E, stretched across the curve of said arm,substantially as set f'orth.

7. The cradle A, provided with the retaining-springs F',substantia11y asand for the y purpose set forth.

8. In combination with thelaterally-adjustable binding attachment, thestationary Windboard K', attached to the frame of the harvester, butunattached to said binder.

9. In combination with the revolving conl- SYLVANUS D. LOCKE.

Witnesses LYN P. Woon, EDWD. H. VALENTINE.

